Locks for sliding windows, notably of automobiles



L. PERAS March 2, 1965 LOCKS FOR SLIDING WINDOWS, NOTABLY 0F AUTOMOBILES Filed May 16, 1962 m %L w. 6 7 9 i 5 z .1 M 5 KPH. l 5

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United States Patent LGCKS FGR SLIDING WINDGWS, N GTABLY 0i? AUTGMOBILES Lucien Pras, Biliancourt, France, assignor to Regie Nationale des Usines Renault, Billancourt, France Filed May 16, 1962, Ser. No. 195,224

Claims priority, appiication France, May 29, 1%1,

863,251 4 Claims. (Cl. 292175) Certain side windows of automobiles consist of two glasses, i.e. a fixed glass and a sliding glass, the latter being movable generally parallel to the former in a horizontal direction.

In sliding side windows it is advantageous to provide means for locking the sliding glass in certain positions, for example in the fully open and fully closed position of the glass, for instance by means of a control member not accessible from outside the vehicle, even by inserting a tool or blade between the fixed glass and the sliding glass.

It is the essential object of the present invention to provide a sliding glass lock meeting this specific requirement and consisting of a lock body mounted inside the vehicle and secured at the bottom of the sliding glass so as to slide along a flange or ledge projecting from the lower frame element of the window, this flange comprising a vertical wall in which elongated holes are formed at two spaced locations, a projection carried by the lock body being adapted to engage either of these holes. The lock body is resiliently mounted so that it can be released without difiiculty from the selected hole by pulling the lock body from inside the car and away from the glass. In this released position it is sutficient to push the lock body parallel to the window to its closed or open position for moving the glass in the desired direction.

In order to afford a clearer understanding of the present invention and of the manner in which the same may be carried out in practice, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section taken at right angles to the plane of the window to show the lock structure;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken on a smaller scale from inside the vehicle; and

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section taken upon the plane III-411 of FIG. 1.

The body 7 of the glass lock is secured on the sliding glass 1 by means of a bolt 4 having a slotted head which extends through the orifice 2 formed in the glass, a flat blind nut 3 of adequate configuration engaging the threaded end of bolt 4. This glass 1 is clamped between the nut 3 and a bearing plate or disc 8, suitable washers or gaskets 9, being interposed therebetween, as shown. A tubular distance'piece 5 threaded on the shank of bolt 24 transmits the tightening effort from the bolt head to the aforesaid disc or plate 8.

The lock body 7 is slidably mounted on the tubular distance-piece 5. A compression spring 6 housed in an annular groove 26 formed in the body 7 and co-axial to the bolt 4 bears with its outer end against the inner face of the bolt head and with its inner end against the bottom of the groove 26 so as to resiliently urge the body 7 against the plate or disc 8.

To prevent the out 3 from rotating unduly during the clamping or bolt-tightening operation the central orifice of the bearing plate 8 and the out 3 are formed with registering fiat faces 11, 12 respectively. Moreover the plate 8 has a certain inherent resiliency due to its specific configuration, whereby the degree of tightening applied to the glass 1 may be properly felt and limited.

The sliding glass 1 is movable in a conventional-type channel 13 and the fixed glass 14 is fitted in a weatherdflihi'fld Patented Mar. 2, 1955 strip 15, the channel 13 and Weatherstrip 15 being mounted together in a frame 16. The inner edge of this frame 1s provided along its lower portion with a flanged port1on 17 consisting of a longitudinal edge bent three times at right angles, as shown, and elongated holes 18 are formed at either end of the vertical outer face of this flange.

The lock body 7 has an external contour adapted to facilitate the gripping thereof by the users hand, its outer face 15 somewhat perpendicular to the glass havllclzg toztiis end a concave shape widening toward its outer e ge The lower portion of the lock body is formed with an ntegral projection 21 having bevelled edges 22 to permit its engagement in the elongated holes 18 of the flanged portion 17.

This glass lock operates as follows:

(1) To unlock the sliding glass the user grips the lock body 7 and pulls same in the direction of the arrow 23. Thus, the spring 6 is compressed and the projection 21 is released from the slot 13.

(2) To open the glass, the user pushes the glass in the d rect on of the arrow 24. After a small travel in this direction it is no more necessary to pull the lock body in the direction of the arrow 23, the projection then engaging the solid portion 25 of the flanged portion 17.

(3) By continuing to push the lock in the direction of the arrow 24, the sliding glass will complete its stroke and at this time the projection 21 will automatically en gage the other slot 18.

The sliding glass is unlocked in the same manner.

I claim:

1. Sliding glass lock, notably for automobiles, comprising a bolt rigidly mounted on said glass at right angles to ts plane, a lock body slidably fitted on said bolt and resiliently urged against said glass by a spring, said lock body having at its lower portion a projection adapted, durmg the movement of the glass, to slide along a flanged portion formed at adequate locations with slots engageable by said projection to lock the glass, said projection being disengaged from the slot by pulling the lock body inwards of the vehicle.

2. Sliding glass lock according to claim 1, wherein the bolt for securing the lock to the sliding glass has its shank pro ecting inwards of the vehicle, said sliding glass being clamped, with the interposition of washers or gaskets between a fiat nut screwed on the shank of said bolt and a bearing plate threaded on said shank and pressed by the bolt head through the medium of a distance-piece also threaded on the shank, said bearing plate having a certain inherent resiliency whereby the degree of tightening of the glass may be properly set.

3. Sliding glass lock according to claim 1, wherein the lateral surface of the lock body has a configuration widen- 1ng lnwards of the vehicle in order to facilitate the gripping of said body.

4. A sliding glass lock according to claim 1, wherein the lock body has a second projection adapted, during movement of said glass, to slide along beneath said flanged portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,676,824 4/54 Gessler 292162 X 2,949,647 8/60 Migneault et al.

3,061,348 10/62 Baxter.

3,103,713 9/63 Ahkgren.

ALBERT H. KAMPE, Primary Examiner.

M. HENSEN WOOD, In, Examiner. 

1. SLIDING GLASS LOCK, NOTABLY FOR AUTOMOBILES, COMPRISING A BOLT RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON SAID GLASS AT RIGHT ANGLES TO ITS PLANE, A LOCK BODY SLIDABLY FITTED ON SAID BOLT AND RESILIENTLY URGED AGAINST SAID GLASS BY A SPRING, SAID LOCK BODY HAVING AT ITS LOWER PORTION A PROJECTION ADAPTED, DURING THE MOVEMENT OF THE GLASS, TO SLIDE ALONG A FLANGED PORTION FORMED AT ADEQUATE LOCATIONS WITH SLOTS ENGAGEABLE BY SAID PROJECTION TO LOCK THE GLASS, SAID PROJECTION BEING DISENGAGED FROM THE SLOT BY PULLING THE LOCK BODY INWARDS OF THE VEHICLE. 